The overlooked triplet

Central to this is the Volkswagen Amarok and of course more recently, Mercedes-Benz with the X-class and Renault’s Alaskan. As to be expected though, the latter pair rates as the most intriguing given that they share more than just a few parts with the D23 Nissan Navara.

With the Renault still to be confirmed for local release, it has been the X-class stealing most of the highlights, leaving the Navara very much in its sibling’s shadow and initially, somewhat of a sales let-down as Nissan South Africa only introduced it with a three model, four-wheel drive (4WD) line-up at a rather lofty price tag last year.

When you only need 2WD

A model expansion with more affordable two-wheel drive (2WD) variants in March this year though rectified matters somewhat, and quickly resulted in the Navara challenging and even beating the Amarok to fourth place in the monthly NAAMSA sales figures behind the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu KB.

The recent arrival of a silver, 2WD flagship Navara LE at the Autodealer office was therefore not only a chance to find out whether the controversial coil link rear suspension was better suited to the vehicle without the low-range gearbox, but also if it really is “rugged redefined” as Nissan claims.

Macho looks…

Sans the 4x4 stickers on the side of the load-bin, the 4x2 Navara still rates as a handsome looking thing with its chrome V-motion grille, upsweeping rear window line, boomerang LED headlights, concave bonnet line, striking diamond-cut 18-inch alloy wheels and rugged looking side steps and roof rails.

More conservative is the rear where traits of the old D40 Navara is most present, especially the taillights, while the extended tailgate spoiler, Nissan claims, is aimed at improving aerodynamics. It is however an altogether more appealing look than that of the X-class.

… compromised internals

At a time where most double pick-ups are becoming more SUV-like in terms of fit-and-finish, the Navara’ interior, despite being a considerable improvement over that of the D40, comes as a bit of a disappointment when you start poking around. Neat in its execution it might be, but the silver plastics around the seven-inch infotainment system feels cheap, with the same applying to the silver and piano-key black treatment around the gear lever.

Unlike the facelifted X-Trail and Qashqai, the Navara keeps the rather bland steering wheel with its silver toggle switches, which, despite being height-adjustable, does not go up high enough and makes getting comfortable behind the wheel a challenge, even when you drop the seat to its lowest position.

By far the worst is that infotainment system which appears completely different in look and feel to that of other Nissan models, and which is nowhere as user-friendly with some of the contact points being too small. It does sport Bluetooth, satellite navigation, USB and Aux inputs but lags behind that of its rivals.

Not helping either is the positioning of the 360-degree camera system, which is displayed on the rear-view mirror and not on the screen itself, compounded by the same poor resolution as on the Qashqai and X-Trail.

Space in the rear is also a bit pinched and comes as a frustration when you factor some of the LE’s toys in such as heated front seats, push-button start, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, an electric-sliding rear window, keyless entry, auto on/off headlights, seven airbags, ABS with EBD, Vehicle Dynamic Control and Hill Start Assist.

That power though

More of an accomplishment is the 2.3-litre dCi twin-turbodiesel engine that pulls well off the mark despite sounding a bit agricultural on start-up. Producing 140kW/450Nm, the motor is matched well with the optional seven-speed automatic gearbox, and will no doubt make transporting loads a breeze given the 1 030kg payload rating and drop of some 100kg versus the 4WD model.

That ride

It is an effective combination though and is boosted further by the overall ride quality, with the five-link suspension and 229mm ground clearance soaking up bumps and imperfections with ease, resulting in a SUV-like ride that is backed-up by excellent levels of engine and road noise deadening. Fuel consumption was a further standout with the Navara recording a best of 7.9-litres/100km after just over 620km and seven days.

Conclusion

Whether it’s original decision to offer the Navara only with 4WD was a mistake or not, Nissan has certainly tried to make-up for lost ground as proven by the immediate spike in sales. Despite its “redefining rugged” claims, the Navara comes up short in a number of departments such the interior and final polish, in spite of the impressive engine and comfortable ride.

The biggest issue though continues to be the price, which at R559 900, makes the LE the priciest flagship, two-wheel drive automatic double cab on sale today bar the Amarok 2.0 BiTDI Highline. If you can live without some of the luxurious and seek an alternative to the mainstream class, rather opt for the SE and the R73 000 credit that goes with it.